True Story!

For the past few days I have been working very hard to rid my house of clutter and clean. Truthfully, it was bad since I hadn't cleaned well since I was pregnant. There are plenty of excuses- 1st trimester- didn't want to touch the chemicals or smell them. 2nd trimester- too tired, 3rd trimester- to sick and big to even consider it...also super tired. So now the babies are a little more self soothing, so I have been able to get it down. My house (may I brag a bit) looks pretty good.

Yesterday, I borrowed a few more tools to aid in the cleaning. A Hoover Floormate from my friend MZ (and yes, I may be in love with this floor cleaner) and a carpet shampooer from AM. I was hoping to get the floors spotless before Evy's party on Sat. So these ladies offered to drop off their cleaning tools and I was happy that I didn't have to get the kids out in the heat. So, both happened to be here at the same time...we all work together (and mom too) so we were catching up a bit.

Evy was playing with AM's daughter and nephew and having a loud amount of fun. When she came trotting out of her room with a dead mouse dangling from her fingers. "Look, Mom! I found a rat" she said. I was absolutely mortified...I mean beyond embarrassment. I asked her to drop it and wash her hands. I then proceeded to pick it up with some towels. Awesome, just awesome!! I had worked my tail off cleaning only for my oldest to find a dead mouse in her bedroom closet. We leave near a creek/drainage ditch and always fight a few mice each year.
I however would prefer that we discover them when company is NOT present.

It feels like Saturday

This Monday morning feels much like a Saturday to me. You see, I spent my Saturday morning rushing around to get out of town- spent a hot day with my family~ AWESOME!!!!~ and then came home to get semi-night sleep and head to church in the morning. I was asked to read and for some reason was a little nervous. I read a passage very close to my heart- Psalm 91- and talked a little about Michael and I's will of God. It seemed disconnected to me, but hopefully others thought it was put together.

So now my husband is laying in bed- not at work this fine Monday- because he fed the children while I slept...so today feels like a Saturday. I have enough work around here for it to be a Saturday and so I think I will get started.

I happened upon flylady's website again. She is a cleaning master and I might just strive to be like her. So...here is the plan for the next few days. It's all about baby steps...a little everyday. Hopefully, Michael and I can work together and get it accomplished faster.

I got a late start on the "zone" cleaning...but I am going to start with Zone 1 and do the 15 minutes a day of decluttering.

FlyLady's Detailed Cleaning List - Zone 1: The
Entrance, Front Porch, and Dining Room
This is my detailed cleaning list for Zone 1. Ensure you adapt it to fit your
home and family. If you are still decluttering, you are not ready for this
whole list, concentrate on decluttering only! BabySteps! - FlyLady
Entrance Detailed Cleaning List:
Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
1. Clean cobwebs
2. Dust window sills and front door
3. Clean switch plate of hand prints and walls if needed
4. Put plants in to the shower and give them a good rinse. Let me set
there until you are finished.
5. Dust furniture
6. Dust baseboards
7. Straighten the coat closest
8. Sweep vacuum or mop the floor
9. Put back the plants. You would hate for DH to walk into a jungle
tomorrow morning. LOL
10. Add your own personal touches to make it more welcoming.

Dining Room Detailed Cleaning List
Start at the ceiling and work your way down to the floor.
1. Clean the cobwebs
2. Dust window sills
3. Clean the window
4. Clean doors of china cabinet after you straighten dishes if they
need done. Dust
5. Clean and straighten any drawer
6. Clean off top of Dining table and Polish
7. Rinse plants in the shower
8. Dust the bottoms of the chairs.
9. Dust the baseboards
10. Move furniture and vacuum underneath (except the china cabinet)
I turned mine over one time. It was not funny.
11. Add your own personal touches to the table (table cloth, pretty
bowl, flowers)

Front Porch Detailed cleaning.
1. Sweep down cobweb and spider webs (In the summer, I leave
them. I feed the spiders too LOL.)
2. Sweep off porch furniture.
3. Sweep the porch.
4. Throw away any dead plants.
5. Prune back unruly bushes from the entrance.
6. Repot planters if necessary (in summer)
7. Refill bird feeders.
8. Wipe off tables, banisters, and light fixtures.
9. Get rid of unwanted items.
10. Add your own personal touches to welcome friends and family
(wreath, welcome mat, bell)

3 months.... already????

Madelyn is at least 12lbs now. She is smiling but is withholding laughter- guess she hasn't found anything too funny yet. She can lift her head but is a little lazy during tummy time--not many mini-push ups for her. She puts everything in her mouth and likes toys. She has several she likes to hold and will bat at them in the bouncy chair. She is a mommy's girl and is usually the one crying. She recognizes faces and will make a sweet "ahh" sound when I walk near her. She is starting to "talk" by cooing and gurgling. She makes bubbles with her mouth. She is constantly spitting up and spends most of her day in a bib (or several) and takes Zantac twice a day.

Jackson has finally found his voice. He has learned the crying usually equals being held. He was the first to sleep through the night and does it almost 90% of the time. He definitely likes to talk and has made sounds similar to "hi" and "mama" He also mimics mouth movement when someone is talking to him. He likes to sit up and look around. During tummy time he tries to scoot around on the mat. He isn't too into toys but will kick at toys in the bouncer chair. He seems to be cutting some teeth. He can roll from tummy to back and sleeps on his tummy. He likes to bear weight on his feet and will take "steps".

The Fourth...a few days later.

It seems like my life runs a few days late. We have things that we are on time for, but most of the time I am running late and picking up behind me. So...in honor of my lateness let me say....
THANK YOU to the men and women who are in, were or will be in the military to fight for our freedoms...thank you to those who braved the high seas to establish the land we now call the USA. Your journey was dangerous, scary and allows us to be FREE.




Thank You!!!

New vs. Old

I laid in my bed this morning after being up for two + hours with the babies thinking about the differences between myself (and others) as a new mom and the mom I am now~the second time around.

So we have some new vs. old school comparisons going on...

NM: checks on her baby in the crib when the slightest noise is made often up several times in a 15 minute period
OS: when she hears noises, she closes her eyes, prays that they will go back to sleep and doesn't move unless screaming and crying ensues.

NM: sleeps the baby on the back or side religiously- will move the baby (and possibly wake) in order to put on the back. No animals, soft blankets or other potentially harmful objects are within 5 feet of crib.
OS: baby may sleep on stomach and several objects are at the other end of the bed for the baby to look at as they drift to sleep.

NM: the opinions and recommendations from the doctor are like the book of Leviticus in the old testaments...they are taken seriously and followed to the letter of the law.
OS: listens to the doctor, knows what is important for him to know (and what isn't) and uses his advice accordingly.

NM: changes baby within seconds of spit up, urine or BM touching clothes- even if only a spot the size of a dime.
OS: calculates the number of square inches and placement of the wetness before adding to the laundry pile....BM still gets changed.

NM: marvels in her baby's beauty...snaps thousands of pictures-and downloads them to her computer- shares them and prints them off.
OS: marvels in her babies beauty...takes less than hundreds of pictures- downloads them to her computer-shares them on Facebook- doesn't print as many-usually when asked by a family member or friend.

NM: has piles of laundry, floors to be swept, bathrooms to be clean- is super tired from all the getting up and learns a new level of clean (either less than expected BC or much cleaner than BC) could potentially clean in the middle of night while the baby is fussy.
OS: has a schedule of when to complete household tasks...has figured out how to get older children to pitch in (now that they can) and may hire someone to do some of the tasks.

NM: takes the baby on normal everyday errands- may go walk at mall, meet a friend at the coffee shop and maintains and normal routine.
OS: decides what is absolutely necessary to complete and if the errand is worth the hassle of loading and unloading all three children.

NM: baby is dressed to the nines...cute matching outfits complete with hats/bows and shoes. Mom shops for baby frequently buying many cute outfits. This includes cute sleeping outfits. This baby has so many new clothes they may not be able to wear them all.
OS: kids are dressed at least by the afternoon, definitely cute outfits for church and other special gatherings. Before purchasing new outfits mom decides how long and how many times baby will actually wear the new outfits...price is considered and many things are purchased second hand. Boys may wear older sister's pink sleeper-after all who is going to know in the middle of the night.

NM: teaches baby sign and is excited for her baby to talk and walk as soon as possible...often regrets the walking part ad maybe the talking part too. Wants her child to follow the books of development and checks frequently. She is amazed by the personality those little people already show.
OS: knows that communicating is important. She wants this to happen in the appropriate time with no delays, but is definitely enjoying her baby in the baby stage and not wishing the time away. She is excited to see the differences in babies and enjoys each one individually.

NM: devotes all her attention to her baby-may neglect self, friendships and marriage until finding a good balance
OS: divides attention between all children, giving each one what they need, trying to be fair and equal- knows the importance of devoting attention to self, friends and husband in addition to all her children.

Each mom loves and cherishes the time with her children and is so thankful that God trusted them to be the Mom of these precious lives.

All thru the night

I am sure this is a fluke and writing about it will just jinx it...but lately (at least the last 4 of 7 days) Jackson has slept all through the night. Maddy contributed yesterday as well- . It was so nice to get a few hours of uninterrupted sleep. I still awoke at the normal feeding time, just thinking that my dear sweet husband was taking care of it. He, on the other hand, was asleep in the chair in the den. Last night Maddy awoke at her normal time, but Jackson stayed sleeping. Hopefully we are moving toward "all thru the night" sleeping. Fingers Crossed.


oh and for those of you not on facebook...here is my lasted picture creation.

The faces of Jackson

This and That

The babies appt went well. Madelyn weighed 11.01 and Jackson weighed 11.06! They got three shots and did remarkably well- just a few seconds of crying and it was over. Jackson had a fever the rest of the night and Maddy didn't act as if anything had happened. Since then we have been busy with pretty full days. They have started sleeping much more and that really helps.

This weekend Michael had to work, so I took mom to a few garage sales. I got a box load of clothes for Jackson and Evy. Thanks Traci and Amy for having such great taste in clothes. I also bought some Hanna Andersson pilot hats for the twins and bid on a lot of clothes and hat and won for 99 cents.

Jackson has an appt with the pedatric urologist in Tulsa in a couple weeks and we will know more about his condition at that time. I am pretty sure that surgery will follow before the end of the summer- but I am praying not.

Oh...and I am in the sexy black boot for another 3 weeks. Yeah Me!!!
I will post more pictures soon